A year or so to get to that mileage but I’ve been running my whole life.
I don’t stretch, warmup, cooldown, nothing. The reason is I believe that stretching causes minor injuries and soreness. I also don’t need to because I’m never sore afterwards. I attribute this to the minimal shoes and technique.
If you want to see the perfect midfoot runners, go to a local playground and watch a 3-4 year old run. To me, that’s proof that the shoes are the culprit.
Humans are actually the perfect running machine in regards to distance . Nothing on earth is even close.
Notice the shoes Bannister wore?, Prefontaine? All the Kenyans?
Now, all that being said. If your a big guy, nothing may help your running. Just accept it. Kinda like I’ll never be a power lifter.
I’m a heavy guy for my size with a slight tendency to overpronate and I’ve had good results with Asics Nimbus 10s when I get around to training for 5k runs. I’ve run with them on cedar bark trails (don’t recommend), pavement, and hard sand and they’ve been pretty good and my usual shin splints are a thing of the past. I used to wear Nike and NB shoes, but much prefer the Asics. I’d like to give NB another shot if I can find somebody with experience to prescribe a pair.
I agree with heel striking being an issue, also agree that re-learning to run will take a long time.
I think one of the issues with military fitness is training to run with a load. This tends to force the heel strike method even more with all the weight shifted rear. Mechanically, running with a pack really does a lot of negative things and reinforces bad habits.
I’ll try to find the articles regarding the issue of humans and distance running. I had an anthro class that went into the predation of how far humans ranged and how our biology adapted to support a certain radius.
I know there are alot of studies right now regarding the running barefoot method, and naturally, that is how we are designed biologically. But after you start running with a heel strike, and especially if your a distance runner with heel strike–switching to the barefoot method is really almost dangerous without a lot of careful training. I definitely agree that having a run buddy help diagnose as you go is critical. My buddy that broke his ankle broke was on mile 7 of an 8 mile run. The furthest he had run previously with those shoes was 3 miles and he felt like he was good to go right up until he wasn’t.
Here’s one of the articles, its important to not that the concept of persistence hunting is incredibly costly in terms of energy to the hunter.
I know there are alot of other sources that try to point to persistence hunting as the main reason we’ve evolved into running machines, but there is also a lot out there that contradicts that perspective with a more anthropological focus.
There are other articles that discus how a person can cover 26 miles faster than a horse because we can do it consistently and mitigate heat more efficiently. I can only say that it would require a highly trained and extremely fit athlete to even attempt to try to out compete a horse over 26 miles. I doubly challenge that data based on the fact the person would need to carry their own water for this to be an effective comparison. If marathon runners had to carry all their own fluid from the start of the race, the times would be a hell of a lot slower thats for sure!
There is significant evidence pointing to that we all evolved from ancestors that moved great distances. We are perfectly designed to move miles and miles for hours on end.
But we did not do this running, the majority of it was walking. Slow and steady trumped fast and chronic.
We might be able to run all of that continuously, but not optimally. If we mix walking and running definitely good to go. These days we try to run the whole distance without stopping and that’s where I think we have issues.
Also agree that we have gone too far with shoe mechanics trying to compensate for everything involved with heel strike, but its hard to make that change without injury and requires a gradual approach. I mix up my running using both methods, but using the UK PT03s and I change back and forth continously depending on my how my legs/feet feel.
I see guys running lost lake in full battle rattle almost every day–pretty much stuckrolling off the heel to do that.
If there is a better or different way to approach running with full gear I’d love to know! It will help me and several other people. If there are specific exercises we can do to assist I’ll give it a shot and report back.
Running with gear just sucks and is very bad for you. That’s where well rounded workouts come into play, to help balance and support extra weight. I have found that the Salomon boots are great for this b/c some are built with the flat trail running sole. The 3d fastpacker has good support but your still able to run pretty effectively.
Good discussions here. Fewer people run nowadays which is one reason US kids are fat. You have to learn to not like running when your young, it doesn’t just happen. Parents, diet and videogames are the main suspects.
We were talking about this very subject a few days ago in the OR.
You’d be amazed how many “healthy” people aka long distance types, skinny and thin have to come in for back surgery. It isn’t always the “fluffy” overweight individuals…
Chronic Running is simply put, wicked on your joints. Including every single joint at each level of your spine, especially the lumbar.
Chronic running/humping with kit? Exponentially worse.
But i’ll be honest, going out for a 2miler or even a 5ker once in awhile, feels good. Real good. I just do it sparingly. Like maybe, 1 or 2 a month. I also understand for those in certain jobs, that frequency isn’t realistic and you are required to do more.
On top of the horrible effects it has on spinal morphology, there have been some recent studies on chronic running and heart health. They followed a few marathon runners and tracked their cardiac history. Long story short, just after one marathon, you greatly increase the chances of an MI. Multiples? It keeps going up.
Again, thanks to all for really good advice and thoughts, I was hoping to get input like this from all angles and views, thats why I love/hate M4C:D
Sizewise, I’m about 6’4 240lbs, and probably around 15% body fat. And someone that I PT with said the same thing you did about heelstriking, I guess I always thought running was putting one foot in front of the other faster:o
I personally go for the lightest shoes I could possibly find. This is always New Balance.
I do not suffer from your problem, but I can say that whatever shoe you do choose, be very sure your foot has been sized by someone who knows. This is most important.
I have been told I have excellent form, not bragging or anything, my point as I was starting in high school, the shin splints are a fact of life and will get better. Run through them - but do make sure it’s not somthing else.
I am 6’0", 175lbs and am an avid runner. I am also an overpronater which has resulted in ITB pain at times, especially when training for a half or full marathon. I went to a running store and got “evaluated.” Overpronaters tend to do better with a stabillity shoe (YMMV) and I have found the ASIC gel Kayano’s to be my favorite.
I used to do a lot of running, as it is very convienant, and I even competed as a Middle Distance Runner in another life. It can become addicting.
With that being said I don’t recommend running every day unless you are in a program/school that requires it, or you are competitive on some sort of level. Not even some of the toughest programs require daily running however.
For the most part people are not designed to run. I have heard it said “that if God wanted us to run he would have given us four legs.” Does that mean we can’t- NO. Some countries people and race have a proprensity for it (RE:Kenya, Ethiopia). Others know how to scientifically enhance human performance such as the old Eastern Bloc Countries and more recently North African Countries such as Morocco have had runners “pop.” Some people are more suited to run than others. Genetics seems to a very big factor but not the only factor.
WTBS I would recommend getting analyzied and fitted by an actual running pro shop (I.E. Road Runner Sports). Buying 2 pair of the same Fitted Shoes. Alternate the shoes. Running every other day mixed with a routine of strength training as well as stretching on your none running days. Diet is by far the single best thing you could do for your overall health IMO. And finally a little physical therapy goes a long way.
I don’t recommend running with a lot of weight as the minus’ far outweigh any plus. If you want weight resistance then walking or “Humping” the weight is the way to go.
After years of trial and error and many, many injuries I have found that a “balance” is the only true way for a long lasting and consistent physical fitness regiment.
I was totally wrong, this is a running forum. With that said I would like to ask those here what would be a good running boot? I need ankle support, light weight, stability and thorn or puncture resistant in the sole. I’d also like your opinion on running socks like wrights or using a liner.
I’m very surprised about some of the comments because I’m an old big guy (6’3" 230#s) just starting to run. I’m very fearful of injuries so, I don’t push for speed, just push for distance. I’ve went from walk/run to running 3 miles in 4 months. I forced myself to not heel strike. My goal is 6 mile runs by August. Am I nuts or going to be crippled?
Thanks for everyone’s comments it has been very useful to me.
The boot I mentioned above is ideal for what you want but, Salomon’s tend to run narrow. So keep that in mind before you buy. They make a very beefy trail shoe that comes in a gore-tex version called the XT Wing. It’s not over the ankle though.
Running in boots invites problems pertaining to foot-to-tibia ligaments and tendons. Contrary to popular belief high tops do not give you ankle “support”, they give you ankle stability. Quite honestly they provide more “brush guard” so-to-speak than anything else.
As for your goals- I have a friend who is your size that runs more than me(65miles a week). He does it in a similar shoe to the one I wear (NB MT 100). What you have to do if you want to really enjoying running is learn how to do it correctly, listen to your body, and develop your own program. No two bodies are alike, and no one’s body is on a 7 day a week calender. This is what I meant when I said earlier that you have to live the lifestyle. Run as you feel.
Might be slightly off topic from the original post, but I recently read this book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.
Basically the author is/was a writer for Men’s Health and kept getting injured from running. But after he threw his shoes away and learned how to run like the Tarahumara Indians he was able to start running again without injury.
The Tarahumara don’t run like us, they take small strides and strike with their toes I believe. Its a motion similar to someone running up a hill. Their culture revolves around running. Think ultra marathons while kicking a wooden ball around like soccer through the Copper Canyons in sandals.
In the book it also talks about how they were mainly vegetarians but occasionally hunted animals. Their method of hunting, well basically run the animals down till they tire.
This book was the first time I was introduced to the idea that our shoes are the root of our problem with running injuries. I thought it was interesting that Kyle mentioned the same thing and am believing this concept even more.
Totally agree!
I am also in the middle of reading the book: Born To Run.
I don’t think I will ever barefoot run but I will always run with a flat shoe from now on. I am currently running in Converse All Stars high tops and it has made a huge difference. No more knee and ankle pain…you will feel it in your calves though when you switch. No more heel toe running for me!!!
My next shoe is going to be either the Asics Piranha or the Nike Free 5.0.